Hope in Suffering
Presenter: Megan McNab
NCFA NSW Conference 2008
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What is it and where does it come
from?

Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to
events and circumstances in one's life.
 Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be
had or that events will turn out for the best.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope
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www.visualthesaurus.com
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Why do we hope?
 Endorphins,
serotonins
 Intelligence
 Evolution
 Created by God
Romans 8:18 -25
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Do only humans hope?
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Why do we not always despair?
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What gives us hope?
 Respect
 Music
 Family
 Friends
 Someone
saying
you can do it
 Goals
 God
 Success
 Power
 Money
 Sex
 Alcohol
 Education
 Your future
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What do we hope for ?
Beauty Salon
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Biblical Hope
Find rest oh my soul, in God alone; my
HOPE comes from him. He alone is my
rock and my Salvation , he is my fortress, I
will not be shaken.
My Salvation and my honour depend on
God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge .
Trust in him at all times oh people; pour
out your hearts to him for God is our
refuge .
Psalm 62 5-8 (NIV)
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Salvation
Therefore, since we have been justified
through faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, through
whom we have gained access by faith into
this grace in which we now stand. And we
rejoice in the hope of the glory of God..
And hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out his love into
our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has
given us.
Romans 5 1,2 , 5 (NIV)
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Eternal Hope
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he
will live with them. They will be his people, and
God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There
will be no more death or mourning or crying or
pain, for the old order of things has passed
away."
Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV)
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Trust
Find rest oh my soul, in God alone; my
HOPE comes from him. He alone is my
rock and my Salvation , he is my fortress,
I will not be shaken.
My Salvation and my honour depend on
God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge .
Trust in him at all times oh people; pour
out your hearts to him for God is our
refuge .
Psalm 62 5-8 (NIV)
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Men swear by someone greater than themselves,
and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end
to all argument. Because God wanted to make the
unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the
heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an
oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable
things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we
who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us
may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as
an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters
the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where
Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our
behalf.
Hebrews 6:16-20 (NIV)
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How can we trust God in our
Suffering?
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 10:13
13No test or temptation that comes your way is
beyond the course of what others have had to
face. All you need to remember is that God will
never let you down; he'll never let you be
pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to
help you come through it. (The Message)
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Refuge
Find rest oh my soul, in God alone; my
HOPE comes from him. He alone is my
rock and my Salvation, he is my fortress, I
will not be shaken.
My Salvation and my honour depend on
God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge .
Trust in him at all times oh people; pour
out your hearts to him for God is our
refuge .
Psalm 62 5-8 (NIV)
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Psalm 23: we are not alone
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We have
been
given a
comforter
John 14:16
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Romans 8:38 -39
Nothing can separate us for Gods love
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Our role as carers?
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Sharers not
bearers
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Praise be to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that
we can comfort those in any trouble with
the comfort we ourselves have received
from God. For just as the sufferings of
Christ flow over into our lives, so also
through Christ our comfort overflows.
2 Corinthians 1:4 (NIV)
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Person Centered Care
Hope
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 Respect
 Music
 Family
 Friends
 Someone
saying
you can do it
 Goals
 God
 Success
 Power
 Money
 Sex
 Alcohol
 Education
 Your future
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Take home messages
 Hope
is integral to the human existence
 We all hope for things and find hope in
many ways
 True hope that is sure and lasting can only
be found in Christ.
 We are to be sharers not bearers
 Person centered care approach
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